McDermott will have town halls three ways

Seattle Congressman Jim McDermott will have three “town halls” in the next several days to answer questions about health care reform.

First up is from noon to 1 p.m. today. It will be online forum at the newspaper that dares not say its name. (OK, it’s The Seattle Times, and you can submit a question here. Our friends on Fairview warn: “No personal attacks or insults, no hate speech, no profanity.”)

On Monday, McDermott promises a telephone town hall from 7 to 8 p.m. It will work like this: Constituents will get calls over the weekend about the event. Then just before the forum begins Monday, voters will be called and asked to stay on the line to hear McDermott. They will be able to ask questions.

“The advantage of a telephone town hall is that the format better fits a busy lifestyle that otherwise would prevent someone from attending a meeting in person, away from their home. Research suggests many more people want to be involved, and this is one way of facilitating participation. However, Rep. McDermott always has conducted in-person town hall meetings and this time is no different,” McDermott’s office says on its Website.

Finally, he will have a town hall from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday at Meany Hall on the campus of the University of Washington. Doors will open at 6:15 p.m. The hall can hold 1,200 people.

Placards, posters, signs, food and beverages are not allowed in Meany Hall.